Chennai: The Madras High Court on Friday dismissed as withdrawn a plea seeking directions to restore the long-standing practice of starting government functions in Tamil Nadu with 'Tamil Thai Vazhthu'. The petitioner, Ananya Radhakrishnan of Chennai, had sought a directive to the Union and Tamil Nadu governments to condemn the relegation of Tamil Thai Vazhthu to the third position, after the national song and the national anthem, during Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay's swearing-in ceremony on May 10.
Court's Observation
When the plea came up for hearing, the first bench comprising Chief Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Justice G Arul Murugan questioned how a direction could be issued without directly challenging the circular issued by the Union government. The bench noted that the circular applied not only to Tamil Nadu but to all states.
Petitioner's Argument
According to the petitioner, Tamil Thai Vazhthu has traditionally been sung at the beginning of government functions in Tamil Nadu, while the national anthem was reserved for the end. She argued that this practice was being diluted by placing Tamil Thai Vazhthu after the national song 'Vande Mataram' and the national anthem. She pointed out that the January 28 circular, which directed that government functions begin with the national song, did not prohibit states from starting events with their respective state songs. She contended that 'Tamil Thai Vazhthu' is not merely ceremonial; it represents the identity, culture, and sentiments of the Tamil people. She further clarified that the petition was not directed against either the national song or the national anthem.
The court, however, found that without challenging the Union government's circular, the relief sought could not be granted. Consequently, the plea was dismissed as withdrawn.
